Mason and Van Yperen net hat-tricks as students are schooled
BEDFORD HOCKEY CLUB LADIES 6 CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY 1
East Premier
Bedford made it a super Sunday as they beat Cambridge University 6-1 with hat-tricks from both Andrea Mason and new Dutch signing Yvette Van Yperen.
The Chester Road outfit made two changes from the previous day's 5-0 victory against Dereham with Jenna Maclaren joining the squad and Van Yperen making her first competitive start in place of the unavailable Katherine Winger and Maya Thrasher.
The game began slowly with both sides keen not to make a costly mistake in the opening exchanges but Bedford made a fantastic break resulting in the opening goal. Becky Childs won the ball on the halfway line before releasing Kate Costin. The skipper combined with Fran Lee before Andrea Mason applied the final touch after rounding the keeper.
Bedford produced some nice passing moves without ever reaching the top gears but soon Sherri Skene doubled their lead, cracking an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net.
Cambridge had some good play of their own in the first 35 but Bedford's tackles were strong and well-timed especially by centre back Elli Priston.
Before half time Bedford made it 3-0 as Mason again struck, this time from the spot. However, Cambridge gave themselves a glimmer of hope before the whistle blew as they scored after some confusion in their opponents' circle.
After the break, the Uni side enjoyed their best spell of the game and Bedford couldn't get the possession to stick and Leanne Sargent, in the Bedford goal, made a fantastic reaction save with her glove to keep the team in maroon in the lead.
Clare Stacey and SJ Darrington also had to be well organised to absorb this spell of pressure and eventually Bedford started to keep the ball better and threaten with fluid attacks.
Midway through the half Mason completed her first Bedford hat-trick deflecting a fine arrowed pass from Sarah Walsh past the keeper and taking her tally to 12 goals for the season.
As Cambridge tired from their previous day's match, Bedford sensed the opportunity for more goals and the fresh legged Van Yperen duly obligued with a run and low strike past the keeper.
Kelly Bingham, Maclaren and Childs were starting to get more joy out wide with space and opportunities to play early balls that caught the students on the back foot. That, combined with Bedford's work rate off the ball, meant that the home side spent the last 10 minutes camped in the Cambridge half.
There was still time for Van Yperen to cap a player-of-the-match display with a goal right out of the top drawer as she turned to receive Costin's early pass before undercutting the ball at a ferocious pace into the roof of the net, leaving the poor keeper helpless.
It was six points and 11 goals from the weekend's work for Bedford so they go into next week's encounter against second-placed Canterbury with plenty of confidence. Push back at the hockey centre is at 1pm.
